Surface Vessels
UK: HMS Bulwark Receives 2012 RN Capability and Capital Ship Efficiency Awards
The Fleet Flagship, HMS Bulwark, has been presented with the 2012 Royal Navy Capability Award and the Capital Ship Efficiency award. The trophies were presented to the Commanding Officer, Captain Andrew Burns Royal Navy, by Rear Admiral Surface Ships, Rear Admiral Potts, at the Surface Ship Command
EUNAVFOR Transfers Twelve Suspected Pirates to Mauritius for Prosecution
Following an attack in early January on a merchant vessel 260 miles off the Somali Coast, twelve men suspected of committing an act of piracy, were transferred on January 25 by EU Naval Force warship FS Surcouf to the Mauritian authorities for prosecution. When the attack happened on 5th January, th
Chief of Australian Defence Meets with His UK, New Zealand Counterparts
The Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, has met with his counterparts from New Zealand and the United Kingdom for the biennial BRITANZ meeting, held on 23 January 2013. Following successful bilateral meetings in Canberra earlier this week, General Hurley accompanied UK Chief of Defence
UK: Admiral Appointed New First Sea Lord
Following a 43-year career with the Royal Navy, Sir Mark Stanhope is to stand down as First Sea Lord in April and will hand over the baton to Admiral Sir George Zambellas. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond yesterday, 24 January, made the announcement that Adm Zambellas will succeed Sir Mark as the Ch
UK: Rolls-Royce Installs First MT30 Gas Turbine into HMS Queen Elizabeth
Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has this week successfully completed the installation of the first MT30 gas turbine into the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, at Babcock’s Rosyth shipyard in Scotland. The MT30, at 36 megawatts (around 50,000 horsepower), is the wo
USS Gonzalez Hosts DESRON 60 Commander
The commander of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 60 visited Sailors aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) during a port visit Jan. 18. Capt. John Esposito and members of his staff visited the ship, where he held an all-hands call on the flight deck. Esposito told the crew what they could
Russia: New Project 20380 Corvette Boiky Sets Sail for Second Phase of Sea Trials
New Project 20380 corvette Boiky being built by Severnaya Verf shipyard for Baltic Fleet (BF) cast off from the fitting-out berth and sailed to Kronshtadt, as the source… [mappress] Source: Russian Navy, January 24, 2013; Image: flot
Oscar-Winning Actor Drops In on UK’s Biggest Engineering Endeavour
One of Britain’s most respected actors dropped in on the country’s biggest engineering project: construction of the Royal Navy’s future carriers. Sir Ben Kingsley paid a surprise visit to Rosyth dockyard in Scotland, where the 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is being pieced togethe
Sailors Assigned to USS Mahan Take Part in Community Service Project
Sailors stationed aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) participated in a community service project at a Naples-area orphanage during their port visit, Jan. 14. The Sailors took a break from enjoying the local history and cuisine to give back to the community that has hosted them by vis
UK: RN Reservists Assume Key Roles in Two International Exercises
Royal Naval Reservists from HMS President in London played key roles in two large international exercises in the closing months of 2012. Lieutenant Commanders Howie San and Pat Shinner swapped their civilian careers, the former with US shipping giant AT&T and the latter for a financial software firm
HNLMS De Ruyter Deploys for Counterpiracy Mission
The frigate HNLMS De Ruyter left her home port of Den Helder for counterpiracy operations in the waters around Somalia. For this mission, the EU’s Operation Atalanta, the ship is carrying the new NH-90 helicopter, which will see its first operational deployment. The air defence and command frigate h
USS Makin Island Sailors Start “Biggest Loser” Competition
Sailors assigned to amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) began a “Biggest Loser” weight-loss and fitness competition Jan. 16, to help promote physical readiness during 2013. The competition, sponsored by the ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) division, is based on the popular te
HMS Northumberland’s Merlin Tests Flares while Patrolling Indian Ocean
In the middle of her counter-piracy and counter-drugs work, the Devonport-based frigate HMS Northumberland’s Merlin helicopter tested one of the many tricks in her box – her flares. These are installed to decoy incoming heat-seeking missiles – fired either by other aircraft, or ground-based threats
HMS Monmouth Sailors Visit USS John C. Stennis within PASSEX
Several guests from the Royal Navy frigate HMS Monmouth visited the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Jan 15. Royal Navy Cmdr. Gordon Ruddock, Monmouth’s commanding officer, and 15 Monmouth sailors met with Rear Adm. Mike Shoemaker, commander of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3,